Eponymous instruments in plastic surgery.

Abstract

Surgeons use eponymous instruments daily, yet the stories behind these instruments are often lost in history. The authors have selected eponymous instruments commonly used in plastic surgery and provide a brief biography of the surgeons who invented them. This list represents more than two centuries of surgical history, and the physicians come from a number of disciplines, including general surgery, plastic surgery, ophthalmic surgery, and rural medicine. Remembering the life stories of surgeon inventors enriches our understanding of the history of our profession and allows us to appreciate our instruments instead of taking them for granted.